Beer: Reviews & Ratings

I know I have sampled things from this distant brewer before, but I don't remember any being worthy of great effort to find again. We are 3/4 of a continent away by land. But this one travels well.

It has the usual look with a little less head than I would like - I had to pour the end straight down to get some fizz, which did not last long. The aroma is nice sweet strangely floral scent that works.

The taste is a nice sweetness that doesn't coddle the drinker. It has almost no harshness, and the initial taste is all creamy, but it just cuts a deep swath down the middle of the road. It's hard to explain. It seems balanced, but everything is pronounced.

This is a very good stout, and better than anything I remember having from this brewer. Well done, but over-priced. (778 characters)

A - Pours a dark cocoa brown into the glass. A one-finger head of light coffee-brown foam dissipates quickly, leaving a thin ring around the glass and small islands of bubbles and lace on the surface. Held to a full-spectrum light, the beer is almost completely black and solidly opaque, even at the surface edges.

T - Burnt toast, followed by bitter semi-sweet dark chocolate. Hints of anise peek thru. Bittering takes on the quality of wild floral hops in the finish. Echos of 50% milk chocolate linger after the finish, which is about the only place the quality of this being a milk stout really appears. No trace of the ABV.

M - Leans toward creamy, but with moderate carbonation that moves the beer across the tongue. Solid body, but not at all heavy. Nicely integrated components. Finish is relatively short, clean, and on the dry side.

O - If the goal of a milk stout is to smooth the rough edges off of a full-roast malt bill, then this recipe succeeds, but barely. It's a cup of medium-full roast coffee that needed two shots of cream, but only got one. Not a bad selection if you like a roasted style, but want just a bit of the edge taken off rather than sanded smooth. (1,423 characters)

3.0 T: I'm not too crazy about the taste. It's a little too roasty or perhaps not sweet enough. The roast clashes with the lactose. It's not bad, just not what I want in the style. Roast, lactose, molasses, caramel. Less licorice than in the nose, but still some. Not much coffee either.

Milk Stout pours a black tan lacing head that just wont quit. There is an aroma that is similar to a sweaty tennis shoe. The taste however is creamy has a strong lactose and sweet flavors, with big hints of black licorice. Creamy and full bodies, nice carbonation. Overall if you can get past the horrible aroma, its a nice tasting and rather sweet stout. (355 characters)

I'm reviewing this in late June, when I normally might not drink a beer of this style, but it's wet and cold right now in good ol' Butte, America, and supposed to get below freezing tonight (elevation roughly 5,700').

Poured from a bomber into a Shaker. A moderate pour produces about 1/2 inch of pale brown foam, which clings to the glass pretty well. The beer is a very dark brown, almost black, and appears almost completely opaque, even when viewed against a lit background.

I detect an aroma only when first sniffing- my nose becomes accustomed to the scent and I must afterwards rely on mouth-nose-burp aroma. Nevertheless, an initial whiff led me to detect something dark, fruity and a touch medicinal. I'm picking up some earthy hops in the full taste, with a nice lingering roasted malt bitterness and slightly tangy hops. I also get accents of black licorice(or maybe anise?), along with dark fruit, along with flavors reminiscent of chocolate and coffee. A bit of sweet and sourness from the lactose is detectable but not overbearing by any means. A gradual alcoholic warming becomes apparent about 1/3 down the pint. The mouth feel is fairly full, but actually maybe on the light side for a stout.

I haven't sampled a tremendous number of stouts, but it's becoming one of my favorite styles. I think this one is pretty good, though perhaps not as much to my liking as others obtainable at about the same price. (1,426 characters)

It's really a great looking beer with a very thick pour. The color is a 9 out of 10 on the black scale with only faint brown outlines showing when help to a light. The head is creamy and foamy, medium brown, retains well and leaves a sticky lace at the end of the day.

Dark roasted grainy scents arise from the head. A swirl or two releases chocolate and a 'sweet' smell.

The taste gives off charred flavors. A bit of chocolate and expresso mix with hops in the swallow.

It's very creamy and while there's sweetness, the beer has enough bitterness for a good balance. Slightly viscous, you can almost sink your teeth into it. Has a creamy, grainy feel, like an oatmeal stout. Bitterness is just to offset the sweet leaving you ready for another sip.

Overall, it's an easy sipper. It's got good flavor and a nice amount of alcohol that's well hidden. You will certainly want to nurse more than one of these. (910 characters)

Pours a pitch-black, with a large head of tan foam. Beautiful, exquisite lace.

Nose is smooth cocoa and milk chocolate.

Taste falls right in line. Rich chocolate, some roasty coffee, and a warming, charry finish.

Overall, this milk stout isn't as smooth as some (Left Hand comes to mind), but it drinks well enough, and, with the warm finish and 7.6% ABV, comes close to an Imperial Stout. Liked, but wouldn't pick up more. (427 characters)

Atmosphere is pretty good. Dark hue, decent head, and some fair lacing. Nose is charred espresso with some chocolate and a floral character. Flavor is charred coffee malt, with some general nutty and woody components. Overall, this is a pretty good quaff. (723 characters)

Poured from a 12oz bottle into an Italian milk glass. Bottled October 12th, 2012 (Widmer doesn't use "best by" dates; so this beer is not "retired" at present).

Opaque seal brown liquid with a glimmer of chocolate toward the bottom of the glass. A small but lasting layer of light tan cream floats up top, leaving a rim of even pasty lacing with every sip.

Mild toasty malt and cocoa in the nose - a hint of caramel and darker roast notes as well. Rather vague.

Pungent palate entry with a wave of dark roast malt, distinctive yeast notes that transport me immediately back to a misty Autumn day in Portland, and a lingering sweetened sour-cream note. Mild bitterness cuts through the sugar, leading into the earthy malty finish.

Medium-light bodied, creamy, with a spritzy sensation at times.

Not a style you encounter often (or often enough) on the West Coast - Widmer's interpretation, a bit hoppier than usual with a distinctive NW-style maltiness (that almost brings to mind Deschutes' Obsidian Stout at times) is a pleasant surprise, though not as good as the best examples of the style. The $8 4-pack makes this a one-time buy for me though. (1,155 characters)

Poured from the 12oz bottle into a snifter. Body is a rich dark black with a flourish of deep tan head. Aroma of rich roasted malt with some underlying notes of lactose sweetness, vanilla, and toasted coconut. Palate is big on dark roasted malt, light lactose sweetness, and a touch of mild fruity hops. Hints of toasted coconut, vanilla, and malted milk come through before the roasty finish. A considerable amount of alcohol heat lingers as well. Body is thick and creamy, nice and luscious, just like a milk stout should be. While a little stronger than most other examples of the style, this is a very tasty and interesting brew. (636 characters)

..a creamy texture,but lactose sweetness is not in the feature role and instead it leans more toward a burnt malt/hop bitterness....I was expecting ABV of less than 5% and I see it is 7.6% so more of a imperial Milk Stout I guess.

Body is big enough to call it that...hefty...nice head...some coffee on the aroma and taste as well....

Black as ink, no light getting through at all. Very decent cocoa colored head that rises to a pillowy 2 plus fingers and then slowly works down after a matter of minutes to a thin lacing. Good stickage on the side of the glass.

Lots of chocolate from this beer's aroma. Nougat, dates, baker's chocolate, and cherry cordial all mix in the bouquet. Pretty solid aroma, and it promises something delicious.

Strong beer. It strikes me as a bit over the top for the Milk Stout category. Less chocolaty in the taste, with a more bitter flavor than I was expecting. Lactose is there, and not overdone. The alcohol, while controlled, is present and I think that throws this off for me. Shouldn't be there for a Milk Stout. Nice notes of nougat and slight nuttiness, but again, too big here.

Mouthfeel is silky smooth, lighter bodied, and makes me feel like this beer drinks lighter than it really is. Good, but not much residual sweetness here, which is something that I look for in small quantities in Milk Stouts.

I like this beer. Great aroma, good "imperial" version of the style, but not my favorite out there. Milk Stouts are generally lower in ABV and should have a sweeter finish to them. Good beer though and worth drinking if you find it! (1,260 characters)

Pours ebony with with a thumb+ of fluffed up mocha head. Very good lacing & above average head retention

S: Roasty with slight herbal hop notes, cocoa as this warms

T: Roasty up front, a touch of baker's chocolate & a smidge of burnt grain bitterness, plus just a whisper of lactose. Some chocolate/comes through as this warms, then roastyness lingers at the edges along with mocha/coffee accents. Finishes roasty, semi-sweet & with nice mocha sweetness & a tinge of lactic sourness

MF: Medium bodied, fairly creamy,

Drinks easy for the ABV, a nice take on the style that needs more exposure IMO. I don't highly reccomend a lot of stuff from Widmer, but this one I like.... (710 characters)

22 oz bomber pours an opaque black with light tan fluffy head and great lacing. Smokey malt, molasses, and dark fruit aromas dominate. Taste is roasted and sweet malt, with smokey bitterness from the hops and muted cocoa. Flavor intensifies as the beer warms. Mouthfeel is bitter but creamy smooth, very drinkable. This isn't a knock your socks off stout, but it certainly is a solid effort - perhaps a little sweet to qualify as a sessionable stout, but a non-offensive beer nontheless. And at $3.99 a bomber here in Texas it's easily worth the price. (552 characters)

nice dark (black) with a dark tan foam on top. a very nice looking beer.smells like hops. was really hoping this would be a real milk stout. never saw a milk with bitterness in it....tastes.... like an ipa. mouthfeel- heavy, thick.figures an american "milk stout" would be an hoppy, bitter brew.... i remember the bass cream stout (retired?) and how creamy it was, how milky it was, how bittersweet it was... bitter, yes! but not hoppy bitter. i've said this before, but americans use the hops in an almost abusing way. please explain to me why this has become the norm. it's drinkable. it's creamy. it's very decent. i just dont understand why it has to be so hoppy. i can drink several of these, and i appreciate the 7% abv. (730 characters)

This poured out looking pretty good. it's got a nice black color with some highlights of red in it. The head was light brown and spotty. The retention lasted a little while but there wasn't any lacing. The smell of the beer is roasted, subtle molasses notes in there as well. The taste of the beer is chocolately, some rich toasted dark malt and caramel in there as well. The mouthfeel was drinkable, creamy and smooth with a good amount of carbonation. Overall I thought this was a pretty good stout, I would drink it again for sure. (534 characters)

My aggro pour resulted in two-plus fingers of dense, deep-tan head with excellent retention. Color was a deep, dark-brown, allowing ZERO light penetration. Nose was very chocolaty, not really sweet, but not bitter, either. It reminded me more of cocoa powder than anything else. Mouthfeel was full and silky smooth and the taste was mildly smoky to go along with the chocolate flavor. It was like drinking an ice cream parlor milkshake (as opposed to the watery stuff the fast food chains like to foist on us). Finish was semi-sweet which was a welcome change from the sweetness that usually comes with the style. I am glad to have tried it. (911 characters)

A terrific stout. I drank it at just the right temperature and it poured wonderfully. It was a bottled beer with a low carbonation that is a must for a stout Or English Bitter.Having lived in England and visited Ireland I appreciate the low carbonation of a cask drawn ale or stout. This beer lingers on the tongue nicely. Its a very nice winter stout and well worth a try. I like that it poured from the bottle like a cask. It's definitely a sipping beverage. It does have a bit of a kick with the ABVDon't let it get too cold....and enjoy. (543 characters)

Bottle pour at the BevMo Holiday Beerfest held at Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, and slight coffee aromas. Taste is much the same with a mild roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink. (542 characters)